Thursday, June 12, 2008

Completely Cross

Nope, it has nothing to do with my mood (though talk to me again in a couple of hours after I have finished digging out cleaning my bedroom. No, I will not share pictures. Even I have SOME level of shame at the state it's in -- though in my own defense I will say that when your husband works third shift (and sleeps days) and you don't -- this leaves precious little time for things like, um, cleaning in the place where it seems one of you is usually sleeping :0).

Nope, the title of the post has to do with the content. Enough of you asked (well, honestly, since I can't show most of what I'm currently working on no one really HAD to ask) to see some of the other cross stitch projects I found hanging out at my Mom's. Literally. See? Hanging out? Yeah, I think my career in comedy is doomed.

So, anyway -- this wall pretty much spans a 10-15 year period in my crafty life. Teddy here was done while I was in high school. Your basic alphabet sampler with a cute teddy bear in the middle. Don't ask me about the pattern -- I want to say it was a Prairie something...

Bunny here -- about the same time period and I think both Mom and I worked on this one. Um, yep -- I checked out the photo and there's our joint signature there in the corner.

And the um, large piece in the center. Yeah -- I TRIED to get a good photo of this one, but well, glare, glass, no go. Let me first say that this piece is HUGE. I've made quilts for humans that are not as wide. It's bulky and heavy in the frame and I wasn't risking taking it down off the wall. Let me also say, this was a JOINT effort between my Mom and I. It took us several years of stitching to complete and I think it was finished sometime in the late 80's, early 90's. I do remember working on it in high school mostly though. All three of these pieces were done on aida cloth (anywhere between 16 and 22 count) with DMC threads.

This one -- yeah this one has a story to tell. You see, in the summer of 1996 my Mom brought a project home for me to work on. One of my cousins was getting married in the fall and Mom wanted me to stitch he and his wife-to-be a wedding sampler. Ok -- not the first time I'd done it for a relative nor the first time Mom had volunteered me for a project. But hey -- I was in grad school, it was summer, I had no job, sure, why not? Except, once I got a good look at the project the conversation went something like this:

"Um, Mom -- this pattern says it needs to be done on linen. I don't work on linen, I don't know how, I only know how to work on aida"

"I know -- but you can do it in aida"

"Are you sure?"

"It will be fine"

Is anyone getting the feeling these were famous last words? Yeah -- turns out the wedding sampler pattern called for linen for a reason. (and no, I DON'T have a photo of the sampler -- must see about correcting that at some point since it was a pain in the patootie beautiful piece when finished) See, the words? (click on the link and you will see a photo of the pattern I was working from -- and no, I didn't do the full thing, but most of it) The words needed to be done over a single thread. Something possible in linen or other evenweave fabrics, but NOT in aida. Have I mentioned that the wedding sampler was on a DEADLINE?

So what does an adorable Halloween piece with bats and pumpkins and an alphabet have to do with a wedding sampler? Meet my very first piece done on evenweave fabric. I taught myself how to work on this so I could do the wedding sampler. A new skill learned -- which is cool. I discovered I actually prefer working on linen anyway. Though, honestly? I made this piece for myself. Once Mom got it framed though -- um, yeah. Notice where it's hanging. Ok -- so I made a second one for myself that summer. My Aunt saw it and decided she wanted it. I have the stuff to make one for myself -- somewhere. It's now 2008? (and no Mom, you will never be allowed to forget this)

The final piece on that wall? It was a Mill Hill Beads kit circa 1999-2000. It was cute, I was bored, and I hadn't started quilting yet. Sorry -- I think one long winded story is enough for one post don't you? :0) Though, when looking for a link to Mill Hill I did see that they have some new Jim Shore stitching kits for any of you so inclined.

I do still have a couple more pieces from Mom's house to show if you haven't fallen into a non-quilt related coma on my blog that is :0). But, I hear the dust bunnies plotting the overthrow of the humans in this house so wish me luck as I go into battle.

12 comments:

Wow - you deserve a *HUGE* pat on the back for your wonderful work. My counted cross stitch life was very limited (notice I didn't say 'short'?) I chose Christmas stockings for the whole family. They ended with only the cuffs being stitched.

I really liked to cross stitch until I found quilting! I guess I still like it but it takes soooo much longer. I have the teddy one too my friend did it for me and I have the pattern for the bunny and the alphabet. Who knew we had so much in common?

You and I obviously come from the same mould - I love Theresa Wentzler designs - I have four beautiful patterns of hers for carousel horses and lots of others in a file somewhere, never even attempted - those Jim Shore cats are almost enough to make me pick up that evenweave linen again - but no I shall resist - I have way too many quilts in the pipeline! Get thee behind me Satan :o))))))

That was nice to see your cross-stitched projects from when you were younger! I used to cross-stitched too and made some samplers which my DM framed. But once I went into quilting, I completely stopped. Mind you I bought a project 2 or 3 years ago, I started it and then, well, uhmm, forgot it! Maybe something to take along on holiday?! The big sampler you and your DM made is just stunning though. take care.

What a great post! I love to x-stitch, and don't do it very often these days. Hmmm....I wonder why? Ha ha! All those stitcheries are beautiful - you and your mom do very nice work. I have never stitched on linen, and don't have the desire to try it anymore, probably because my eyesight isn't the best these days. Give me aida cloth every time! The wedding pattern is a work of art - wish we could see the one you did.

arcs95OH MY! I thought you had been in my HOUSE! I am sending you a picture of 2 cross stitch projects in my house. One hanging, and one leaning in a pile! I got a good dose of 'deja vu! I found my chart for the alphabet and I"m thinking the bear was from the same company: The CrossEyed Cricket. My bear is dated 1984, but the alphabet is dated 1999 and took me around TWELVE years to finish! I dragged it on every vacation, soccer practice/game/tournament , building a new house, and even waiting to for a newly adopted child to arrive ! (that was the hardest wait of my LIFE!) Thanks for the trip down memory lane (and thru my house! LOLOLOL

Love all your cross stitch projects. I was big into that craft too years ago. Then quilting moved to the front and I never looked back. I still have some of my projects around the house. Have fun with the cleaning. I did our pantry yesterday for three hours and one huge trash can full. But it looks nice now.

About Me

There's not much to say -- I'm a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a student, and a teacher. Somewehere in all of that I somehow find time to indulge in my love of fabric and create quilts to warm those I love and indulge the side of me that loves to play with color and pictures rather than words.